XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom
The XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom (aka Sandrock Kai or Gundam Zero-Four) is the upgraded version of XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and in New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. It is piloted by Quatre Raberba Winner. Technology & Combat Characteristics TV Version An upgrade of the original Gundam Sandrock to make it capable of space combat. Verniers were added to the shoulder, back skirt, backpack, and legs to increase mobility in space. As the added backpack vernier took the place of the mounting point for the shield, the suit can no longer use the Cross Crusher. It also gains a beam machine gun for better mid-range combat capability in space. Like the original, the Sandrock Custom can function as a commander unit for team operations. EW Version The EW version has a slimmer frame compared to the TV version and a light purple-based color scheme instead of white and gray. While the homing missiles and beam machine gun are omitted, the heat shotels, shield and head vulcans are retained. It can also use the anti-beam coating cloak which is not present in the TV version. In the Glory of the Losers manga, thrusters are added to the central part of the backpack. Armaments ;*Vulcan Gun :Mounted in the head, the pair of shell firing weapons have a high rate of fire, but little power and are generally ineffective against mobile suits. However, they can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors, and are ideal for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles, small vehicles, etc. ;*Heat Shotel :These heat-radiating curved blades are the Gundam Sandrock Custom's main weapons, and with them, it can cut an enemy in half with each hand simultaneously. They can also be used as throwing weapons. When not in use, they are stored on the backpack. In the EW version, the blades are larger and the heat shotels can be connected at their pommels to form a double-bladed weapon. ;*Homing Missile :A small automatic tracking missile stored in both shoulders. Only present in the TV version. ;*Shield :Designed with a snakehead motif, it features two claws as "fangs", and two shield flashers as "eyes". The shield has an anti beam coating, and the shield flashers can release a blinding flash to confuse enemies. In Glory of the Losers, the EW version retains the shield. ;*Beam Machine Gun :A handheld beam weapon for mid-range combat. While its shots are weaker than those of standard beam rifles, its rate of fire is much greater. ;*Beam Rifle :A high output, long-range beam rifle powered by energy cartridges similar to the XXXG-01W Wing Gundam's buster rifle. It is only used by the EW version. Special Equipment & Features ;*Anti-Beam Coating Cloak :A cloth cloak treated with an anti-beam coating to protect the mobile suit from beam shots. It could completely cover the mobile suit with its size, with the exception of the head, providing full body protection. In addition, it also protects against the heat during atmospheric entry. It is only used by the EW version. ;*ZERO System :The Wing Zero's Zero System was installed on the Gundam Sandrock Custom temporarily. Heero ordered it so that Quatre can lead the other Gundams while he duel with Zechs. To activate the system, Quatre has to key in the code 'ZERO'. After using the system successfully, Quatre removed it upon returning to Peacemillion as he felt he can fight without it. ;*Self-Destruct System :The Gundam Sandrock Custom was built to self-destruct should the pilot choose to. A remote detonator is placed within the cockpit and if a dire situation arrives, the pilot can destroy the Mobile Suit. The system was designed to overload its power systems and has enough explosive power to destroy several city blocks. It's a last option tactic if the pilot is incapable of protecting the Mobile Suit, while not allowing it to fall into enemy hands. It also can be used as one large explosive device to eradicate large targets. History Although Quatre Raberba Winner had activated the self-destruct system on his Gundam Sandrock during his escape into space, the ensuing explosion had rendered the mobile suit useless - but its Gundanium alloy body was still more or less intact. The Sandrock's remains were confiscated by OZ, but later would be retrieved by members of his Maganac Corps allies and taken to their underground base in the Middle East, where it would be rebuilt and fully restored. After Quatre's return to Earth, he returned to the Maganac Corps to pilot his Gundam once again. As the military and political strife plaguing the Earth Sphere in AC 195 would reach a decisive conclusion in space, and Quatre returned to space with his Sandrock to join the battle. Aboard the independent battleship Peacemillion, Gundam supporter Howard would upgrade the mobile suit, giving it minor improvements for space combat. Though the changes made to the Gundam Sandrock Custom were cosmetically minor, they would give the mobile suit the edge it needed to use its abilities against the space-bound forces of White Fang's Virgo II mobile dolls and the mobile suits of the World Nation military. The addition of several vernier thrusters made the Sandrock stable to operate in a zero-g environment. Also, over Quatre's protests, Gundam pilot Heero Yuy also temporarily outfitted the Sandrock Custom with a component of the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero's infamous Zero System, allowing Quatre to coordinate the Peacemillion's mobile suit forces in an assault against White Fang's mobile dolls. The Zero System was removed by Quatre afterwards. Two years later, Quatre and the other three Gundam pilots, save for Wufei, decided to send their Gundams into the sun through the mobile asteroid Vulkanus. However, in AC 197 the Barton Foundation upsurped the pacifist Earth Sphere Unified Nation and abducted its leader, Representative Relena Darlian. To combat this new threat, Quatre, after dispatching Wing Zero to Heero, redirected the course of Vulkanus so that it would not collide with the sun. Later, Quatre, Trowa, and Duo retrieved their respective Gundams from the asteroid and traveled to Earth to assist Zechs Marquise and Lucrezia Noin who were fighting an army of Serpent mobile suits in Brussels, Belgium. After the Marimeia Conflict was over, Sandrock was self-detonated alongside Deathscythe and Heavyarms. Gallery tumblr_moi4o0m2rS1rtmccpo1_1280.jpg|TV Ver. (Gundam Perfect File) Gundam Sandrock Custom (EW Version).jpg|EW Ver. (Gundam Perfect File) sandrockkai-art.jpg|TV Ver. SandrockKai-GOL.jpg|Notes of the EW Ver. in Glory of the Losers manga Games KGrHqNjME4orgnEJ8BOUVTIRug48_3.JPG|EW Ver. as featured in Gundam War card game XXXG-01SR2_Gundam_Sandrock_Kai.jpg|EW Ver. as featured in SD Gundam G Generation Wars sandrockkai-ZEROsystem.jpg|Video game's TV Ver. with Zero System activated ms_modal_unit_ew_08.png|As seen on the game Gundam Diorama Front 3rd. Super Robot Wars Z3 Tengoku Hen Mecha Sprite 064.png|As seen in Super Robot Wars Z3 Tengoku Hen SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays Gundam Sandrock Custom (EW Ver.).png|Gundam Sandrock Custom (EW Ver.) from SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays Gunpla Gundam Sandrock Custom.jpeg|1/144 HG Fighting Action XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom (1998): box art HGFA Gundam Sandrock Custom Special Edition.jpg|1/144 HG Fighting Action XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom Special Edition (1998): box art HG1-100GundamSandrockCustom.jpg|1/100 HG Endless Waltz XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom (1998): box art MG_Gundam_Sandrock_Custom_EW.jpg|1/100 MG XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom EW (P-Bandai exclusive; 2017): box art Action Figures MSiA_xxxg-01sr_p01_HongKong.jpg|Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA / MIA) "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Custom" (Hong Kong release; 2000): package front view MSiA_xxxg-01sr_p02_Japanese.jpg|MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Custom" (Japanese release; 2000): package front view MSiA_xxxg-01sr_p03_USA-original.jpg|MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Custom" (North American original release; 2000): package front view MSiA_xxxg-01sr_p04_USA-renewal.jpg|MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Custom" (North American renewal version; 2001): package front view MSiA_xxxg-01sr2_p01_HongKong.jpg|MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom" (Hong Kong release; 2001): package front view MSiA_xxxg-01sr2_p02_Japanese.jpg|MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom" (Japanese release; 2001): package front view MSiA_xxxg-01sr2_p03_USA.jpg|MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom" (North American release; 2000): package front view RobotDamashii_xxxg-01sr2_p01.jpg|Robot Damashii "XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom" (2012): package front view RobotDamashii_xxxg-01sr-xxxg-01h_PartsSet_p01.jpg|Robot Damashii "Gundam Sandrock and Gundam Heavy Arms Parts Set" (Tamashii Web exclusive; 2013) Notes and Trivia *Gundam Sandrock Custom appears in Gundam Vs Gundam Next Plus as an unplayable unit and assist for Deathscythe Hell and is the only Gundam out of the five main ones to not be playable. Unlike most Gundams, it has a very low GP count but very poor armor in contrast to its original depiction as being the most heavily armored Gundam in the Wing series. Oddly, unlike the other unplayable units that can be accessed via cheat device, Sandrock does not have a portrait in the results section whereas the others use a silhouette of Zeta Gundam with a number representing their value digit. It was included solely for a mission where the player has to fight against all five of the Gundams. *Interestingly, a shield is included in the 1/144 model kit which is released after the 1/100 kit. This shield is quite different from the original and does not resemble a snake's head. Instead, the shield had an emblem that resembles a caduceus with a single snake. References http://www.gundamgallery.com/data/media/76/Gundam%20Wing%20-%20MS%20Encyclopedia%20-054.jpg http://www.gundamgallery.com/data/media/76/Gundam%20Wing%20-%20MS%20Encyclopedia%20-056.jpg http://www.gundamgallery.com/data/media/76/Gundam%20Wing%20-%20MS%20Encyclopedia%20-057.jpg External links *XXXG-01SRS Gundam Sandrock Custom (TV / OVA Versions) on MAHQ.net ja:XXXG-01SR2 ガンダムサンドロック改